Drying out pre-smoked sausage

maxgunner

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May 5, 2014

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Raleigh, NC

• Mar 6, 2015

• #1

I purchased some smoked Hungarian hot garlic sausage from my favorite vendor / deli.  It's fine to eat as is, and I certainly have, but it's much better after drying for a few days (up to a week).  In the past, I've followed my grandpa's method of simply hanging from any structure that would hold it, and letting it drip oil/fat for a week or so.  What you're left with is pure heaven, and you really can't hang/dry it "too long."

For a number of reasons I won't get into, that isn't an option now.  I want to dry this out in my MES30.

Question:  how long?  What temp?  Add any smoke?

thanks,

MG

 

Last edited: Mar 6, 2015

crazymoon

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• Mar 6, 2015

• #2

MG, what type of cure is in the sausage?

 

maxgunner

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• Mar 6, 2015

• #3

CrazyMoon said:

 
MG, what type of cure is in the sausage?

Click to expand...

I don't know.  This is a "commercial" deli selling to the public (and on the internet) so I'm sure there's some cure in there.  I've bought this product for years.  I typically don't do anything but air dry it and sometimes not even that, and I've never had any issue whatsoever.  I've rarely, if ever, cooked it after bringing it home.  

I'm thinking if I put it in my MES for X hours at Y temp, it will approximate what I got hanging it off my dining room chandelier (yes, really) for 4-7 days at room temp.  I don't know what the variables are.  And I'd rather not "experiment" and risk screwing this delicious stuff up.

MG

 

crazymoon

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• Mar 7, 2015

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MG, I guess it sounds like a dry cured sausage if you don't need to cook it but I don't have any specifics for additional drying.

 

boykjo

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• Mar 7, 2015

• #5

I would ask your vendor what type of sausage it is, cured, semi dry cured or dry cured fermented sausage. If you don't feel its safe hanging at room temp you can always hang it in the refrigerator to dry. Its a good place to dry sausage with RH around 20 percent and temps below 40 degrees. if the sausage is already cooked it wont accept any smoke so if you plan to quick dry it in the smoker, smoke wont be needed.

Joe

 

maxgunner

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May 5, 2014

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Raleigh, NC

• Mar 7, 2015

• #6

Thanks, all.  I'm going to put it in the smoker at about 150 - 170 for a while and see what happens.  I'll update later.

- MG

 

maxgunner

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May 5, 2014

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Raleigh, NC

• Mar 8, 2015

• #7

I started at 150 and went up to 170.  About 6 hours or so.  Result: casing was more "crispy" than I'd wanted.  Sausage was "sweating", which I wanted, but apparently at too high a temp.  The interior is more stiff than I'd hoped for as well.  Still good, but definitely not the right variables.

In other news, cold smoked 3 lbs of cheese today.  Outside temp was in the 50's, but heat generated from the AMNPTS started melting the cheese.  Luckily, I caught it in time before I lost it all.  Lesson learned:  AMNPTS DOES generate too much heat for a true cold smoke.  Use the MES offset smoker box next time.  

- MG